Last year’s $6 favourite is set to go around again, with Buckaroo being a confirmed 2025 Melbourne Cup starter on Wednesday morning.
Trained by Chris Waller, Buckaroo has followed a different path into the Cup compared to last year.
Rather, Waller is adopting a similar path to his 2021 Cup Winner, Verry Elleegant.
The superstar mare Verry Elleegant placed in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate in 2021 before heading straight to Flemington for the Cup a week and a half later.
MORE: Chris Waller set to dominate the Melbourne Cup field yet again
Buckaroo - who last year had an extensive lead-in via the Caulfield Cup - has followed the Cox Plate route this time around, where he also placed, finishing just 0.1 lengths off the winner Via Sistina.
Majority owner Ozzie Kheir and trainer Waller, who is currently leading the New South Wales Trainer Premiership, reportedly could 'not find an excuse’ to not take him to Flemington next Tuesday.
“I personally made a decision about a minute after the Cox Plate,” Kheir said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“But speaking to Chris this morning we are going to progress towards a Melbourne Cup. We think that’s the right race for him, he deserves his shot at it,
“Chris is very happy with him and how he’s pulled up, he couldn’t fault him, his exact words were, ‘I’ve been trying to find an excuse for him but I’ve got none."
Craig Williams will steer the seven-year-old gelding, who will carry 57kg, compared to 51.5kg last year.
Buckaroo, who jumped favourite last year, found himself three-wide at the back of the field for the majority of the race.
Jockey Joao Moreira attempted to circle the field late, leading to a finish of ninth, but he was just 3.5 lengths from the winner.